Domain name hijack protection
View Patent ↗A domain name registering entity (such as a domain registry, registrar, or reseller) or an independent proxy registration service may offer a domain name hijack protection to their actual or potential customers. When a domain name transfer request or notice is received, the domain name registering entity or the proxy registration service may ignore or decline it. Customers may be given an ability to turn the domain name hijack protection service on and off, as well as an ability to adjust a variety of settings associated with the service.
1. A system comprising a server hardware computing device coupled to a network and comprising at least one hardware processor executing specific computer-executable instructions within a memory that, when executed, cause the system to:
store, within a WHOIS database, a proxy email address associated with a registered domain name;
receive an electronic message at the proxy email address, wherein a content of the electronic message comprises a domain name transfer request; and
automatically:
delete the electronic message; or
transmit an electronic response message to a Uniform Resource Locator link within the content of the electronic message, the electronic response message declining the domain name transfer request.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server hardware computing device is operated by a domain name registering entity or a proxy registration service provider.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the system, prior to receiving the electronic message, to:
receive, from a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) form displayed on a web page, a first request to apply a domain name private registration service to the registered domain name;
transmit a proxy contact request to a second server hardware computing device operated by a proxy registration service provider;
receive a proxy contact data; and
automatically store the registered domain name and the proxy contact data in association in a database.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions further cause the system, prior to receiving the electronic message, to:
receive, from the HTML form, a second request to receive at least one email message addressed to a proxy email address for the proxy registration service provider;
transmit a proxy email forwarding request to the second server hardware computing device, the proxy email forwarding request comprising:
a registrant email address; and
instructions causing the second server hardware computing device to automatically store, in association, the proxy email address, the registrant email address and the registered domain name;
receive the at least one email message; and
transmit the at least one email message from the proxy email address to the registrant email address.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to automatically forward the electronic message only if the proxy contact data is stored within the WHOIS database.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to receive, from an HTML form on a web page, a request to forward the electronic message.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to receive, from an HTML form on a web page, a request to disable forwarding the electronic message.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to transmit, to a client hardware computing device operated by a registrant of the registered domain name, a notification including a message that the electronic message has been deleted or declined.
9. A method comprising the steps of:
storing, by a server hardware computing device coupled to a network and comprising at least one hardware processor executing specific computer-executable instructions within a memory, within a WHOIS database, a proxy email address associated with a registered domain name;
receiving, by the server hardware computing device, an electronic message at the proxy email address, wherein a content of the electronic message comprises a domain name transfer request; and
automatically:
deleting, by the server hardware computing device, the electronic message; or
transmitting, by the server hardware computing device, an electronic response message to a Uniform Resource Locator link within the content of the electronic message, the electronic response message declining the domain name transfer request.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the server hardware computing device is operated by a domain name registering entity or a proxy registration service provider.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
receiving, by the server hardware computing device, from a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) form displayed on a web page, a first request to apply a domain name private registration service to the registered domain name;
transmitting, by the server hardware computing device, a proxy contact request to a second server hardware computing device operated by a proxy registration service provider;
receiving, by the server hardware computing device, a proxy contact data; and
automatically storing, by the server hardware computing device, the registered domain name and the proxy contact data in association in a database.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
receiving, by the server hardware computing device, from the HTML form, a second request to receive at least one email message addressed to a proxy email address for the proxy registration service provider;
transmitting, by the server hardware computing device, a proxy email forwarding request to the second server hardware computing device, the proxy email forwarding request comprising:
a registrant email address; and
instructions causing the second server hardware computing device to automatically store, in association, the proxy email address, the registrant email address and the registered domain name;
receiving, by the server hardware computing device, the at least one email message; and
transmitting, by the server hardware computing device, the at least one email message from the proxy email address to the registrant email address.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of automatically forwarding, by the server hardware computing device the electronic message only if the proxy contact data is stored within the WHOIS database.
14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of receiving, by the server hardware computing device, from an HTML form on a web page, a request to forward the electronic message.
15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of receiving, by the server hardware computing device, from an HTML form on a web page, a request to disable forwarding the electronic message.
16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of transmitting, by the server hardware computing device, to a client hardware computing device operated by a registrant of the registered domain name, a notification including a message that the electronic message has been deleted or declined.